Charity

AEG and Charity

AEG believes in charity for a number of reasons. To begin with, we are a company dedicated to helping those in need whenever possible. We have always sought to help people around the world, both those who play our games and even those who do not. To give to someone in need, with no expectation of reward or return, is one of the highest goals that we as people can strive to achieve. AEG always has, and always will be dedicated to the cause of aiding those in need, and helping people whenever they need a hand, no matter who they are, where they are in the world, or what awful event or malady has stricken them.

Our Current Charitable Efforts

The Stone of Remembrance
The Stone of Remembrance was created as a promotional item for the Legend of the Five Rings card game. It stands as a token reminder to those that have fallen, and is a way for AEG to work towards aiding those in need, so that they may live longer, better lives and benefit the world as a whole.

The card mechanically in the game represents a sacrifice – rather it be donated goods, or money, the community of L5R players has sacrificed on their own and given for the benefit of the Red Cross with this card. As of December 13th, 2012, $6,555.00 has been raised and donated to the Red Cross.

As we embark on our Emperor Edition arc, this card will remain a reminder that there are those in the world in need of help, and the L5R community will continue to stand strong and support them through the Red Cross.

If you would like to assist us in this endeavor, the Stone of Remembrance can be found on our Online Store.

Past Charitable Efforts

Amber Blackburn Charity Auction
Tragedy struck the Blackburn family in 2011 with the death of Jolly Blackburn’s daughter, Amber. For anyone who has any knowledge of AEG and its history, you know we got our start in the gaming business all those years ago because of Jolly Blackburn.
As part of the efforts of an auction held by BoardGameGeek.com to raise money to help the Blackburn family in those very hard times, AEG offered a special Storyline Tournament – ‘The Favored of the Celestial Dragon’ – which is a unique storyline prize that has never been given before. Along with that, the winner would be able to select an AEG staffer to be present at the tournament, no matter where they were in the world.

The winners were a group in Australia, who raised and donated $3,300 to the Blackburn family, and were honored with ‘The Favored of the Celestial Dragon’ tournament as well as a visit by the head of AEG, John Zinser.

Along with this, AEG offered other auctions as well for the Blackburn Charity, including a ‘Design a Personality’ prize which went for $2,200. This was won by Seth Abraham who created Bayushi Tenzan. Tenzan will release in an upcoming expansion in 2012.

Aside from those massive auctions, more money was raised via auctions for AEG board games and L5R product.

Tournaments
AEG has never ask that the men and women who run tournaments for us have to do something for charity. And yet, for years, these people choose to sponsor events, as part of our Organized Play structure, at tournaments large and small across the world to benefit various local charities. These winners (most recently comprised of a number of ‘Honor Event’ victors) not only get to have an impact on the L5R story, but they are also contributing back meaningfully to society in a way that is beyond words.

9/11 Relief Fund
Players in the area of New York City have been holding tournaments with a focus on canned food drive and donations for the 9/11 Relief Fund created by Dennis Leary (of Rescue Me fame).

Food Bank of Northwest Indiana
One of the most notable of these events in recent years was at the Topaz Championship last year, a tournament that historically bridges the end of one year and leads into the next, held on or around New Year’s Eve. Mike Colson, the TO of the event for several years now, took donations for the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana as part of his tournament, and in the end, players from all across the world traveled to the event and donated $13,000.

The Make A Wish Foundation
For several years, AEG sponsored special ‘challenge’ booths at major events such as Gen Con and Origins, where players had to pay extra to participate in a one-on-one style tournament that raised money for the Make A Wish foundation. These tournaments were always highly attended, and generated a great deal of money for Make a Wish over the course of its life. One of these rewards was the card ‘Make A Wish’, of which ‘Stone of Remembrance’ is the spiritual successor.
The community of people who play AEG’s games are what make it so great. They support each other in hard times, come together to aid those in need, and have always done so out of a spirit of charitable nature and goodwill towards their fellow man. AEG could not be more proud of this, and we aim to continually set the bar higher, and hold ourselves to that steadfast dedication of aiding men, women, and children around the world who are in need, and when able provide our players with the tools to bring themselves together under a banner of charity and benevolence to the world, allowing them to give of themselves unendingly – not because they have to, or because we ask them to – but because they choose to.

“Every good act is charity. A man’s true wealth hereafter is the good that he does in this world to his fellows.” ~ Moliere